The ideal tape rule would be perfectly flat and yet would not suffer from bending or folding when in the cantilevered position. Yet the tape rule of all tape measures loses rigidity after being extended to some length. To increase the rigidity of tape rules, tape rules of the prior art opt for either a wider tape rule or a deeper curve in the profile of the tape rule. However, a deeper profile in the tape rule results in difficulty in marking measurements on the surface being measured as the edges of the tape rule tend to curve up and away from the surface being measured. This results in the user having to tilt the tape in order to accurately mark a desired measurement.